Computer software applications allow users to create a variety of documents for work, education, and leisure. For example, word processing applications allow users to create letters, articles, books, memoranda, and the like. Such applications have a number of well-known strengths, including rich editing and formatting. In recent years, use of such computer software applications has been expanded to include traditional desktop computers, laptop computers, and a variety of handheld electronic devices, including handheld personal computers, and personal digital assistants. Moreover, in recent years, a variety of data input methods have been created to include keyboard entry and handwriting recognition entry. In a typical handwriting recognition entry system, a user is allowed to handwrite data directly onto the display screen of a computing device, using a pen or stylus, as a method of data entry.
A number of existing software applications use objects to contain a flowing region of text within a defined area (frequently referred to as “text boxes”). Typically these objects can be moved and resized, and in some cases interact intelligently with other objects (for example, flowing around a separate picture object). These objects, however, invariably occupy a fixed amount of rectangular space within the region leaving the remainder of the region as empty or void space. Furthermore, the entry of additional data anywhere within the region is restricted to the flowing text region and thus limits the data entry experience of the user. For example, in pen computing scenarios, it is much more natural for a user to simply write in empty space anywhere on a page, such as when writing on a piece of paper.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system of utilizing empty or void regions in computer-generated areas of text to allow a user to input objects anywhere in these areas without regard for flowing text regions to address the foregoing problems.